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S@PL 5, 1932- D. R. RICHARDSON ET AL 1,875,497

CONTAINER Filed Dec. 15, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Y AQ/K MVM ATTORNEY.

SePt- 5, 1932- D. R. RICHARDSON ET AL A1,875,497

CONTAINER Filed Dec. 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS.

A TTORNE Y.

Lio-- Patented Sept. 6, 1932 naar. n. nicHAnnsoN AND HENRY M. WQnLmir,.oF- OWEN, WISCONSIN- Y CONTAINERl Application filed December 15.1930., Serial No. 502,337.

The present invention `relates in genera-l to improvements 1n the art of packing, and

relates more specifically to improvements in` the construction and mode of utilizing con.

Steiners for packing commodities such as cheese, in order to preserve and protect the same during storage and transportation.

A general object of theinvention is to provide; `an improved container which is simple in construction and eflicient in use.

in certain arts such as the cheese industry it has long been an established practice to produce the commodity in approximately cylindrical form. The bulk of the cheese produced in such form in the United States and Canada, is known as American cheese,and is manufactured in several standard sizes of varying diameter but all of cylindrical shape, known toV the trade as Daisies, Longhorns, Flats, Young Americas, Cheddars, Picnic, Herkimer, and. liidget It is the present universal practice -to pack these various sizes of yAmerican cheese `in cylindrical Wooden boxes formed of a circular l veneer side Wall and flat Wooden heads coacting therewith, and these wooden containers have been standard in the industry for many years in spite of their numerous disadvantages or objectionable features. One

l objection to these prior cylindrical containers is their bulk and the resultant kinconvenience of handlinc and excessive cost of transportation, especially When the containers are empty. These prior containers arenon-col# l lapsible and the cheese producing territories are therefo-re abundantly supplied With relatively small producers' of Wooden cheese boxes located as near as possible to the factories in order to supply the demand without introducing excessive transportation charges on empty containers. Another serious objection to the prior Wooden'boxes, is the exces-V sive breakage thereof Which is conservatively yplaced by the trade at fifteen per cent. This breakage introduces other annoyancessuch as necessity for recooperage and adjustment` of claims.` Still another objection inherent in the prior Wood structures is the danger of injury by slivers, protruding nails and splin`A ters, i to the handlers .of the containers.

further objection` to the prior cylindrical` Wood boxes, is the inability of the veneerV forming the side Walls ofthe container, tor

resist rough handling Without splitting and damaging the contents thereby causing spoilage, and While these Wooden containers have been utilized for many years,- such continued use of an unsatisfactory article has beendue to Vthe lack of a better moderately priced container. Another objection to the veneer cylindrical containers is their inability to prevent dust and dirt from entering the same, thus making them unsanitary. These containers, due to their relative high cost, are also frequently used over without proper cleansing thereof, thereby introducing further uns'ani-Y tary conditions. A further objection to these prior housing structures is their cumbersome constructionand the fact that they require considerable space Without properly' insulatl ing' the contents. Then too, the prior veneered Wood containers are relatively expensive and are also otherwise objectionable thus leaving considerable room for improvement. A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved container especially adapted for the packing of round cheese or the like, Which eliminates all of the objectionable features of the prior cylindritclal Wooden containers, hereinabove referred o.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide an improved collapsible coni tainer of polygonal external cross section, which is adaptedV to properly confine material having different shape from that of the ex#` terior of the package.

Afurther specific object of the invention 1s to provide animproved box which is'simple and strong in structure, and Which mayy be readily utilized to effectively pack and conceal various commodities.

Still another specific object of the invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive, safe and quickly assembled, collapsiblev c ontainerywhichwhen assembled possesses extreme rigidity and minimum weight, and which may be collapsed to occupyminimum space. y c v Another specific object of the invention is n el A further specific object of the invention is A to provide an improved housing structure f sembly thereof;

which cannot be readily damaged, which presents only smooth and safe surfaces for handling, Vwhich provides for proper'insulation and confinement of its contents, and which presents a neat and pleasing appearance.

Still another specific object of the invention is to provide an improved.v container whichl permits convenient access-toits contents, which is sanitary in construction,

which may be stored in minimum space, andl which can be manufactured in minimum cost.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of a number of embodiinents of the present invention and of the mode of constructing and of utilizing containers built in accordance therewith, may be had by referring to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this speciiication, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views:

Fig. 1 is a side view of one of the improved quantities at containers, showing the saine in collapsed condition; I Y

Fig. 2 is a top view looking into one of the improved containers prior to complete as- Fig. 3 is a top view looking into the container of Fig. 2, showing the same completely assembled and packed with cheese; .Y

Fig. 4 is an enlarged central vertical lsec- V tion through the container of Fig. 3, showing the same in sealed condition;

Fig. 5 is a central vertical section through one of the containers showing material disposed within a bag which is about to be housed within the container; f Y

Fig. 6 is a top view of another `form of improved container showing; a modified construction of corner pieces therein;

Fig. 7 is a top view of stillanother form of improved container showing a further modification of the corner'pieces therein;

Fig. 8 is a top view of another form of the improvement, showing still anothermodication of internal construction ;v

Fig. 9 is a top view of one of the improved containers having hexagonall transverse cross i eoV section; and

Fig. 10l is a top view of one of the improved containers having hexagonal transverse cross section, showing a modified form of flap for sealing the upper and lower ends thereof. Y

While the containers hereinafter specifically described by way of illustration of the invention, are especially adapted for the purpose of packing round cheese, it will be apparent that the improvement is capable of other uses, and it is therefore not contemplated to restrict the invention by such specific disclosure. Although the use of containers having rectangular or hexagonal tranverse cross-section, and formed of insulating material such as-paper or fibre board, may introduce certain advantages when utilizing the improved container to pack certain commodities, the invention should not be unreasonably limited by such formation and selection of materials.

1 Referring speciically to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawings, the container shown therein comprises in general a series of four inter-connected side walls 5; lower and upper walls or closure flaps 6, 7 pivotally associated with the lower and upper edges of the side walls 5 and cooperabl-e therewith to form a complete enclosure.; secondary-means or side walls 8 secured to the medial portions of the main side walls 5 and having integral strut portions 9 cooperable with the corners formed at the junctions of the side walls 5; and a board or slab l0 cooper-able with the upper edges of diametrically opposed secondary walls 8.' Then the container has been assembled, the successive secondary side walls 8 cooperate to provide a substantially cylindrical housing space for a cheese l1 or the like, and the slab 10 besides providing an auxiliary chamber or air space above the cheese,11also serves to eiectively maintain the cover flaps 7 in closed position.

The vside walls 5 and closure flaps 6, 7 may be formed of a single sheet of suitable material, properly scored toY permit convenient relative folding of these parts when it is desired to assemble or to collapsethe container, andv the one piece container is shown in knocked-down condition in Fig. 1. rlhe two side walls 5 at the ends of the container blank, may be permanently united by means of an auxiliary flapll formed integral with one of these walls and sewed, stapled or otherwise attached to the other. lVhen the container has been assembled, `the bottom flaps 6 mayk be secured in place'by` glueing and applying a strip 12, and the cover flaps 7 may be detachably secured in closed position by means of screws or nails 15 driven therethrough and into the slab 10 which may be formed of wood.

The secondary side walls 8 may hav-e their medial portions 13, glued, sewed, or otherwise permanently attached to the side walls 5, and are also collapsible to the positions shown in Figs. 1y and 2, so as not to interfere withy collapse of tliemain container wheneverrdesirable. The diametrically opposite secondary walls 8. may either be provided with notches 15, or merely .cut and scored, for the reception of the ends of the slab 10, and the walls 8 and strut portions 9 when assembled as shown in Figs. 3 and'4, obviously not only provide'thesubstantially cylindrical housing space above referred to, but. also materially strengthen the container and enable the same to resist distortion due to` externally applied pressures'or blows'.y In some cases it may also be desirable to provide an additional insert sheet inithe bottom ofl the container between the lower ends of the walls 8 andthe bottom flaps 6,v thus giving the container bottom triple insteadof double thickness. l

When a cheese 11'has been inserted within the container of Figs.-1to 4 inclusive, lthe secondary walls 8 are slightly distorted to conform to and to snugly engage the cheese periphery,-and the strut portions are then held firmly in the position shown in Fig. 3 thereby not only maintaining the cheese 11 centrally within the outerpolygonal container, but also bracing the corners and holding the secondary walls 8 in place. Theretacliing the cover'flaps l7 in place with nails The slab furthermore provides lthe 15. auxiliary air space or clearance above the cheese 11, hereinabove referred to, and this space is very desirable and important in the packing of cheese, since cheese will heat7 and spoil when confined under pressure due to stacking the containers upon each other.

In Fig. 5, the container is identical with that shown in Figs. 1' to 4 inclusive, except that the slab 10 has been omitted and a material confining bag 16 has been inserted within the housing space bounded by the secondary walls 8. With this construction, the bag 10 may first be inserted within the housing space and subsequently supplied with relatively loose material to the level 17. The; top of the bag 16 may then be folded over and the cover flaps 7 subsequently closed and sealed, without necessarily utilizing the slab 10.

\ The container in this case likewise protects the confined material against external pressure or impact, and retains all of theadvantageous features previously referred to.

The outer containers of Fig. 6, 7 and 8 are also identical with the outer containers of Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, but the formation of the secondary walls and of the reenforcing means therefor, are different. In Fig. 6, the secondary side walls 18 and the strut portions 19 are formed as detachable insert pieces.

Each of these insert pieces comprises a single ystrip of material properlyscored and'bendableto form a completeV corner piece includ.- ing adjoining walls 8.and strut portions 9. The successive corner pieces are not interconnected, and the slab 20 preferably spans the 'router container diagonally as shown. While'thismodified structure may not prevent skewing ofthe outer container aseffectively as the structure of Figs.2, 3 and 4, it neverthelessintroduces all of the other advantages heretofore mentioned including the lmock-down feature. The detachablecorner pieces furthermore permit removal of the secondary walls 18y and strut portions 19 whenever desired andenable normal luse, of

the outercontainer alone when the cylindri` cal housing space is not required.

In Fig. 7, the secondary side walls 21 and the strutiportions 22 are likewise formed as detachable insert pieces. Each of the corner inserts of this modification, comprises two similar elements each formed ofa single strip of material scored and bent into triangular form. rlhe strut portion 22 of one of these corner elements, coacts directly with the strut portion 22 of the other, and the slab 23 is again disposed diagonally of the outer container and coacts with the upper extremities of four of the insert elements. The modified structure. of Fig. 7 obviously possesses all of the advantages of the structures shown in Figs. `1 to 6 inclusive.

In Fig. 8, the secondary*l side wallsV 24 are `formed as a single band bent into circular form, and the corners are provided with reenforcing tubes 25. The tubes 25 may be ordinary mailing tubes of proper diameter cut to proper length, and the slab 26 may obviously be disposed either diagonally as shown, or perpendicular to the side walls 5 of the outer container. kllVith this construction, no scoring of the wall 24 is necessary and the tubes 25 serve as struts for reenforcing the outer container and the wall 24. This modified structure also obviously possesses all of the advantages of the structures shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, and maybe somewhat more readily produced and assembled.

In Figs. 9 and 10, the invention issliown applied to hexagonal containers whichare capable by staggered disposition thereof, of being packed for shipment or storage, inV less spacethan rectangular sectioned containers having equal minor diameter. In these hexa-gonal types, the outer containersare again formed of a single sheet of material comprisingend connected side walls 27 and lower and upper closure flaps formed integral therewith.

`The secondary walls 28 and strut portions 29 are formed and attached in a manner similar tothe correspondingparts of the structure of Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. The strut portions 29 cooperate with the corners ofthe outer side walls 27 to reenforce the structure, and are' IUS PTV and form, thus providing three thicknesses of` flaps when folded toA closed position, but in Fig. 10, the outer portionsof the closure flaps 32 have beeiicut away to provide only two thicknesses tliusperhaps permitting the yassembled container to coactwithout danger of tilting, with the floor and with-other .contain-Y ers. The hexagonal lcontainers of Figs.' 9 andlO, again possess all of the advantages of the rectangularvcontainers and may obviously be provided with modified corner pieces of the types disclosed in Figs. ,6, 7 and 8. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent-that theinventionnot only accomplishes theobjects previously referred to in the introduction of this specificatiomfbut also provides an ,eective method of packing and of preserving cheese. rlhe containers when collapsed, obviously occupy only a small fraction of the space occupiedby a permanently assembled Container of. equal capacity, and no modification lof the presentl established method of forming cheese, is necessary in order to utilize the improved structures. The rcenforcing struts at the corners are important since they protect both the container and the contents thereof, and the use of paperor fibre board in the construction of the4 con-` not desired to limit the invention tothe exact details of construction and to the precise modey ofl utilizing the containers herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art. f

. It is claimed and desired to secure by Let ters Patent:

1. Ina container, an endless series of endv connected side -walls foldableat their adjoinends to either forma box structure'when distended or lie fiat in close proximity kto each other when collapsed, and a secondary flexible wall permanently attached intermediate its ends to the-inside medial, portion of each'of While. sevsaid side walls, each ofsaid secondary walls having its opposite ends remote from the place of attachment thereof to the adjacent side wall foldable to position said ends either diagonally of the distended box structure to 4 distort theseries of secondary walls into continuous circular formation -due to the perinanent' medial attachments thereof or between the adjacentside and secondary walls so as to cause the composite wall structure to fold flat when collapsed.

2. In a container, an endless series of end connected side walls foldable at their adj oining ends to either form a box structure when distended or lie flat in close proximity to each other when collapsed and having cover flaps formed integral therewith, a secondary flexihle wall permanently attached intermediate its ends to the inside medial portion of each ofsaid side walls, each of said secondary walls having its opposite. ends remote from the place of attachment thereof to the adjacent side wall foldable to position said ends diagonally of the distendedbox structure to distort the series of secondary walls into continuous circular formation due to the permanent medial attachments thereof and diametrically opposite of said secondary walls having medial end notches located in proximity to the adjacent cover flaps, and a reenforcing strip coacting with said notches and with said flaps when the box is distended and closed to pre vent inward collapse ofY said side walls and flaps. Y,

tures. l A

DELL R. RICHARDSON. HENRY M. IVOLLUM.

In testimony whereof, we afhx our signa-A 

